Alex Swan and the Swan Companies

Oh, where to start? I found this book boring and tedious, probably akin to reading the stock market report. In the 1870s, Alexander Swan ultimately created what would become the largest cattle ranch in Wyoming.

Other than occasional spurts of Old West nostalgia, such as the time when the notorious Tom Horn worked for the Swan Company, most of this narrative involves all the detailed machinations behind land acquisitions, politics and money schemes. Even after Swan’s death, the history of the companies bearing his name continue to be documented here until their ultimate liquidation in the 1950s. Perhaps some Wyoming ranchers may find this history informative, but it’s of very little general interest. —Chuck Lewis